Massive Oil Theft By Pirates Costs Nigeria $1.5 Billion Every MonthDepressed oil prices, rampant corruption, and pipeline vandalism are only parts of Nigeria's oil problem. It's now losing a massive 400,000 barrels of crude daily to pirates in the Gulf of Guinea, an amount equal to the entire daily export capacity of its Forcados terminal.

The Belgian government is expected to supply its citizens with iodine pills in an pro-active effort to protect against radiation should a nuclear accident take place in the country, Agence France-Presse reported. The move was spurred in part by increasing worries from neighboring countries over the deteriorating condition of two of Belgium's nuclear plants.

9/11 Commission Didn't Clear SaudisAs the Obama administration belatedly weighs releasing the 28 pages on the Saudi role in 9/11, Americans should not be fooled by claims minimizing the Saudi involvement.

Saudi Role Beyond the 28 PagesRelease of the 28 secret pages from the congressional 9/11 report may be long overdue, but the depth of Saudi involvement with Islamic radicals goes much deeper.

## Propaganda/censorship ##From Brady to MH-17, Power Defines RealityFrom the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 shoot-down to Tom Brady's NFL suspension, reality gets defined not by facts and reason but by power and propaganda.

And it's not only Portugal. As industrial civilization crumbles, such villages and their food-production systems will suddenly become necessary again, but repopulating and learning skills will take more time than we have. -- RF

A Torrid Week for the Transatlantic CorporatocracyA new survey conducted by YouGov for the Bertelsmann Foundation showed that only 17% of Germans believe the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a good thing, down from 55% two years ago. In the United States, only 18% support the deal compared to 53% in 2014.

Kenya Begins Building Wall Along Somali BorderKenya has confirmed it will begin construction of a 700-kilometer-long security wall along the northeastern border with Somalia as part of a broader national security plan to curb cross-border terror attacks by Somali terrorist group al-Shabab.

With Impeccable Timing, 'Economic Miracle' in Spain UnravelsSince the granddaddy of all housing bubbles popped in Spain between 2008 and 2009, unleashing one of the deepest recessions in living memory, the nation's public debt has more than doubled, from just over 40% of GDP to almost exactly 100% today.

France to lead 4 bn euro injection for energy giant EDFFrance announced on Friday it would lead a four billion euro capital increase for power company EDF, months after agreeing a similar cash injection for the other pillar of its nuclear industry, Areva. EDF, which is 85 per cent owned by the French state, also pledged to cut millions more in costs and sell off assets in a bid to reduce its huge pile of debt.

Hillary 'the Hawk' ClintonAs the Democratic Party grimly marches toward Hillary Clinton's nomination, little thought has been given to her extraordinary record as a war hawk and what that could mean to the world.